In a motor vehicle steering column described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,599, issued 16 Jul. 1968 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, steel spheres are interference fitted in an annulus defined between a lower tubular mast jacket anchored to the vehicle body and an upper tubular mast jacket telescopically enveloping the lower tubular mast jacket and attached to the vehicle body through releasable capsules. The spheres roll tracks in the mast jackets during relative telescopic collapse between the mast jackets to absorb energy and are loosely disposed in pockets in a tubular plastic ball sleeve which maintains the relative positions of the spheres as they roll between the mast jackets. U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,438, issued 11 Jun. 1974 and assigned to the assignee of this invention, describes a similar motor vehicle steering column except that the relationship between the mast jackets is reversed relative to the relationship described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,599, i.e. the tubular upper mast jacket is telescoped inside the tubular lower mast jacket. A motor vehicle steering column according to this invention is an improvement relative to the steering column described in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,815,438.